With the final batch of tickets to the 2014 World Cup released just last week, avid footie fans are beginning the countdown to the big event. Considering that games will be held in 12 Brazilian cities, including Rio de Janeiro and São Paolo, and some visitors may be hitting more than one match during the monthlong tourney, now’s the time for spectators to get their travel plans together. We asked Paul Irvine, one of Condé Nast Traveler's top travel specialists (and a Rio resident for the past 11 years), for his essential Brazilian travel tips. Here’s what you need to know before you go.

Get your visa early.

Don’t sleep on the visa application process: You’ll need to visit your local Brazilian consulate and present plenty of documents (including your flight confirmation and your passport) to obtain the visa. Irvine recommends starting the process at least three weeks before you’re set to travel. But there’s good news for World Cup spectators: “If you have World Cup tickets, you’ll get your temporary visa for free—they’re giving that as a bonus,” says Irvine. Be prepared to present some confirmation of your ticket purchase to get that freebie; instructions on how to apply for a special World Cup visa can be found on each consulates' websites.

Don’t try to see every city in one trip.

You may think it’ll be easy to see Rio de Janeiro, the Amazon rainforest and a World Cup match all in one go, but that’s not the case. “Brazil is a massive country,” explains Irvine. “Traveling between these locations [takes] flights of [at least] two hours. It takes the best part of a day out of your itinerary to do all the travel.” His suggestion: If you want to visit multiple cities, only plan to do two or three in one visit.

Learn the public transportation systems ahead of time.

Once you’re at your destination, you’ll need to figure out how to get around. “Don’t walk around, and don’t drive around Brazil, full stop,” says Irvine. As he explains, Brazilian traffic is not only hectic, but full of unspoken rules. Plus, many Brazilian cities aren’t pedestrian-friendly, so the best thing to do is get acquainted with the public transportation system of the city you’re staying in. Start researching on the websites for the cities you're visiting (like this one for São Paolo and this is the one for Rio). Irvine also recommends using your hotel or the agent who booked your trip for practical help, such as figuring out how to get around.

Change currency before your trip, or use credit cards.

Dollars aren’t accepted anywhere in Brazil, so if you plan on using real (the country’s currency), either get it changed beforehand, or plan on using your credit or ATM card. But if you visit an ATM, be aware of the surroundings. “One of the most targeted ATMs in terms of cloning cards are at airports,” notes Irvine. “All the international banks are here, so better to use ones in town.” He also recommends having smaller bills on hand, especially if you’re in a rural area where it may be harder to break a 50 or 100 real bill.

Don't sit on a beach towel (and other etiquette tips)

According to Irvine, Brazilian culture isn’t wildly different from the U.S., but a little effort will help you fit in a bit better. “If you can get a few phrases of Portuguese down, it’ll go a long way,” he advises. “Just the basics: Hello, goodbye, thank you, my name is. Brazilians are very, very forgiving if you get [the language] wrong.” It also helps to know local customs: You don’t need to add an additional tip on restaurant bills (or tip your taxi driver, if you use one); sit on a chair, not your towel, at the beach; don’t slam car doors; and since Brazilian events typically start much later than advised, don’t get too uptight about punctuality. And one very important thing to remember: “It’s samba, not salsa,” says Irvine. “If you go to a samba club, don’t just sit there. Brazilians love it when you have a go at their national dance.”